Bethlehem, Pa. – The Marist softball team traveled to Lehigh today for a non-conference doubleheader. In the first game, the Red Foxes fell 6-3. Marist answered back in game two, as the team came back from a 10-run deficit to claim an 11-10 victory over the Mountain Hawks.

Sophomore Nicole Cheek (Simi Valley, Calif.) led Marist with two home runs and five RBIs in the doubleheader. Marist compiled 24 hits for the day, with 17 coming in the nightcap.

Game One

In game one, the Red Foxes posted a 3-0 lead in the top of the second. Cheek homered to draw in freshman Janna Korak (Huntsville, Ala.) and senior Aly Klemmer (Hamilton, N.J.). Lehigh answered back in the bottom of the second with four runs off of four hits, as the Red Foxes committed one error in the inning.

The Mountain Hawks tacked on another run in the bottom of the third, as Vicky Lattanzio tripled and scored off a single from Cassie Waggy to take a 5-3 lead over Marist. The Red Foxes prevented an increased lead, as Lehigh loaded the bases with two outs. Sophomore Kyrsten Van Natta (Maplewood, N.J.) nabbed an out at second to force the Mountain Hawks to leave three stranded.

Lehigh added another run in the sixth, forcing the Red Foxes into a three-run deficit as they entered the seventh inning. In the top of the inning, freshman Rebecca Freeman (Robbinsville, N.J.) singled to right field, as freshman Jordynn Barrera (Clinton, Utah) came in to pinch run. Barrera would reach third, but the Red Foxes would get no closer as junior Taylor Kuzma (Freehold, N.J.) flied out to right field for the third out.

Cheek led the Red Foxes with three runs, as Klemmer tabbed two hits in the outing. Defensively, senior Alyssa Zahka (Lexington, Mass.) posted seven putouts, while both Cheek and senior Haley Birnbaum (Lido Beach, N.Y.) added two assists each. Junior Melanie White (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) took the loss for Marist, compiling three strikeouts and allowing four earned runs.

Game Two

In game two, the Mountain Hawks started the scoring for the outing. Lehigh tallied three runs and three hits as the Red Foxes committed three errors. In the second, Lehigh loaded the bases and claimed a run as the next batter was hit by a pitch. The Mountain Hawks went on to claim two more runs off of a sacrifice fly from Lattanzio and a double from Jess Calvini to clinch a 6-0 lead over Marist.

In the top of the third, Van Natta and Kuzma would both reach on singles, while Klemmer was walked to load the bases with two outs, but the Red Foxes were unable to capitalize, leaving three on base.

In the bottom of the third, the Mountain Hawks tacked on four more runs off of two hits and an error.

After being down by 10, Marist came up big in the top of the fourth while batting around the lineup. To kick off the inning, Freeman claimed a double to right field. She went on to score for the Red Foxes, as Barrera doubled to left field. Barrera also posted a run to the score board as Duddy singled to left center. Up next, Van Natta added two more for Marist as she homered over the left center fence. Kuzma went on to post the Red Foxes’ fifth run, as Klemmer singled up the middle to center field. The Red Foxes cut Lehigh’s lead in half, compiling five runs and six hits.

In the top of the fifth, Duddy tripled off a hit to right center before Van Natta posted a single to left field as Duddy notched the Red Foxes’ sixth run.

The Red Foxes tacked on two more runs in the top of the sixth as Cheek notched her second homerun of the day, also scoring Klemmer in order to cut their deficit to two runs.

In the top of the seventh, Van Natta singled to left field and advanced to second on a wild pitch. As the tying run, Kuzma stepped up to the plate to be walked. Korak doubled to left center, scoring Van Natta and Kuzma to tie the game at 10. Marist took the lead as Freeman singled to left field to score Korak. The Red Foxes closed out the bottom of the inning with three batters up, and three down.

Duddy and Van Natta compiled three runs and two hits each. Also for the Red Foxes, Kuzma notched two hits, while Freeman also claimed three runs. Senior Paige Lewis (Temecula, Calif.) took the win for Marist, tallying two strikeouts and no earned runs in 3.2 innings.

The Red Foxes move on to host Army in a non-conference doubleheader on Saturday. The first pitch is set for noon.